Package-registering device



(No Model.) v 3 SheetsSheet 1.

R. P. ANDERSSON.

PACKAGE REGISTERING DEVIGE.

Patented Mar. 21,1893.

(No Model.) S-Sheets-Sheet 2. R. I. ANDERSSON.

PAGKAGE REGISTERING DEVICE. No. 494,050. Patented Mar. 21, 1893.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' R. P. ANDERSSON 'PAGKAGE REGISTERING DEVIGB. No. 494,050. PatentedMar. 21, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT Ounce.

ROBERT F. ANDERSSON, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

PACKAGE-REGISTERING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,050, dated March21, 1893.

Application filed July 19,1892. Serial No. 440,547. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT F. ANDERSSON, a citizen of Sweden and Norway,and a resident of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements inPackage-Delivery Apparatus, of which the following, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in package delivery devices forthe purpose of depositing packages, &c., in a receptacle andautomatically giving to the owner or depositor, a printed check orrecept for each package.

This device is particularly useful for laundries as it saves thelabor ofa clerk in giving checks or receipts for the laundry. It is howeverequally well adapted for package delivery of any kind, where it isdesirable to obtain a check or rec eip fmor" the article deposited. f

The invention is carried out as follows, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 represents a longitudinalsection of the improved package delivery device. Fig. 2 represents asection on the line 22 shown in Fig.1. Fig. 3 represents a detail sideView of a portion of the mechanism. Fig. 4 represents a plan view of thesame. Fig. 5 represents a detail front view of the strip feedingmechanism. Fig. 6 represents a detail sectional view of the lower partof the box and its pivoted shelves; and Fig. 7 represents a detailsectional plan view of Fig. 6.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on thedifierent parts of the drawings.

A represents a suitable box or receptacle in which the packages are tobe deposited. The box A has on its front an opening A which is normallyclosed by means of a hinged door A to the inside of which is attached, achute or conveyer A as shown in the drawings.

A is an opening at the rear of the box A which is normally closed bymeans of a hinged 0r sliding door A as shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1, I have shown the box A as located inside of the wall B of abuilding with the mouth A projecting through such wall, and with thecover A" outside of said wall as shown in said Fig. 1, but this is notessential I as said box may be located outside of, or free from walls orbuildings as may be desired according to location and circumstances.

Inside of the box A are secured a pair of brackets O, O, in which arejournaled at (1,61, d, one above the other, a series of packagesupporting shelves D, D, each such shelf being preferably composed ofmetal side frames united by means of aflexible sheet or netting but thisis not important as such shelves may be made of anyother suitablematerial or construction without departing from the essence of myinvention. Each shelf D is weighted by means of a balance weight d so asto hold it in a vertical or nearly so position when not depressed by theweight of a package. Each shelf is loosely connected to the one above itby means of a slack cord (1 so as to cause the next shelf above the onedepressed by a package to be automatically swung to an inclined position(Fig. 1 ready to receive a package and so on until all the shelves areloaded.

a a in Fig. 1 represent projections on the inside of the door A adaptedto serve as supports for the outer ends of the shelves when loaded asshown.

E, E, represent packages introduced in the box or receptacle A as shownin Figs. 1 and 2.

To a spindle attached in a suitable manner to the lower end of one ofthe brackets O is journaled a sprocket wheel F that carries an endlesschain G overa similar sprocket wheel F arranged to rotate freely upon apin f secured within the upper end of the box A as shown. Each shelf Dhas a side projection D adapted to engage the chain G whenever a shelfis swung to a horizontal position by the weight of a package thusimparting a slight intermittent motion to said chain and its sprocketwheels whenever a package is deposited upon one of the shelves. Thisintermittent motion of the said chain is for the purpose of actuatingthe automatic device for feeding and cutting oif from a reel a dulystamped, marked or numbered slip, ticket, or receipt for the packagedeposited.

The automatic mechanism for causing a ticket to be fed from a reel andcut-off from the latter whenever a package depresses one of the shelvesD, is constructed as follows: To the upper sprocket wheel F is attachedaratchet Wheel F which partakes of the intermittent rotary motion of thesaid sprocket wheel whenever a package is deposited in the box A. Abovethe main box A is a case H which contains the reel and cutting offmechanism.

I is the reel having its spindle loosely journaled or supported insuitable bearings; I; is the strip wound on such reel which strip isconsecutively numbered in the form of tickets, one of which is to beautomatically cut off from the strip and fed out through an opening inthe front of the box H as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4.

K and K (the latter shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3) are feed rollersbetween which the strip 2' is fed from the reel to and through thedelivery opening h.

k is the spindle to which the lower feed roller K is secured and on suchspindle is loosely journaled a spur gear L provided with a pawl Zadapted to engage with a ratchet wheel is secured to the spindle is asshown in Figs. 3 and 4.

M is a reciprocating rack bar having teeth meshing in the teeth of thegear L; said rack is arranged between guides m composed of wheels orother devices so that the rack bar can move up and down with the leastfrictional resistance. The normal position of the rack bar is shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 8 and it assumes this position by gravity. The lower endof the rack bar is provided with an antifriction roller m resting on alever N carried by a rock shaft 91 which is provided with a segmentalratchet n. The lever N serves to raise the rack bar as will hereinafterappear, to cause a projection m on the rack bar to engage a lever P forfeeding and cutting 011' a ticket strip, as hereinafter explained. Tothe shaft 'n is secured a rearwardly extending arm N provided with anadjustably secured weight N, as shown in detail in Figs. 1, 3, and 4,for a purpose as will hereinafter be described.

N is a projection on the underside of the arm N terminating preferablyin an antifriction roller n adapted to come in contact with a camprojection a on the chute or conveyer A during the opening movement ofthe door A".

O is a pawl, pivoted to a stud 0 which may be secured to the sides ofthe case A, said pawl, having its upper hooked end engaging with theratchet wheel '17. and having its lower end engaging with the ratchetwheel F as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4..

P is a stationary cutter arranged in the box H between the feed rollersK, K and the opening 71. as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4..

P is a movable cutter secured to a lever P which is pivoted at p asshown; the rack M has a side projection m which during the upward motionof said rack comes in contact with the rear end of the cutter lever P bywhich the cutter P is moved downward suf ficiently to puncture,perforate, or cut off the strip that has been partially projected outthrough the opening it.

The operation is as follows: Supposing a package E has already beendeposited, as shown in Fig. 1 and the door A opened to receive anotherpackage; during such opening movement of the door the cam a comes incontact with the roller n on the lever projection N 3 causing theweighted lever N to be raised and locked in such position by the pawl Oand ratchet wheel a. As the door 1s being closed the package E dropsupon the shelf D (which is in position to receive 1t) and the weight ofthe package swings the shelf downward and the projection D is thuscaused to engage the chain D for moving the latter a limited distance.The movement of the chain turns the ratchet wheel F sufficiently tocause the pawl O to be tripped by which its upper hooked end istemporarily disengaged from the ratchet Wheel n causing the lever N, N,to be liberated and its weighted end to drop by which the rack'M isforced upward causing the feed rollers K, K, to feed a portion of thestrip '5 out through the opening it and as the rack projection m comesagainst the rear end of the cutter lever P the marked strip is cut offbetween the movable and stationary shears P, P, and the depositor isthen enabled to pull out and retain such detached strip, check or ticketas a receipt for the deposited package.

The same operation takes place for every time a package or bundle isdeposited in the box A. Whenever the box A is emptied the check numberscorresponding to the respective packages can easily be ascertained bylooking on the number on the end of the remaining strip 11, if forinstance this should show for instance 15 it would indicate that theuppermost package in the box belonged to the party holding check number14 and so on for the packages on the successive shelves in the box orreceptacle.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation ofmy invention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim 1. In apackage delivery apparatus, a receptacle having a pivoted door and aseries of shelves pivoted one above the other and adapted to receive thepackages, an endless chain actuated by said shelves, a strip feeding andsevering device and connecting and operative mechanism from the endlesschain and pivoted door, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a package delivery apparatus, a receptacle having a movable doorand series of shelves pivoted one above the other and adapted to receivethe packages, an endless chain actuated by said shelves, a strip feedingand severing device adapted to be set for operation by the door motionand released by the downward movement of the shelves, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

3. In a package delivery apparatus, the combination of a receptaclehaving a series of shelves pivoted one above the other and to thisspecification, in the presence of two adapted to receive thepackages,astrip feedsubscribing Witnesses, on this 12th day of ing andsevering mechanism, and devices op- July, A. D. 1892.

erated by the movement of the shelves for ROBERT F. ANDERSSON. 5actuating the strip feeding and severing meeh- Witnesses:

anism, substantially as described. ALBAN ANDREN,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name MARGARET G. MARSHALL.

